Consumers give gifts to other consumers on any number of occasions, such as birthdays, holidays, anniversaries, graduations, and other special occasions. In many instances, it has become common for consumers to gift others with gift cards or gift certificates to merchants as a substitute for a specific gift. Gift cards provide a number of benefits to consumers: they allow the receiver to pick the precise item they want, they can be used at the receiver's leisure, and they are easy to convey, especially in instances where a gift would otherwise need to be shipped.
However, there are also problems with gift cards. Gift cards and gift certificates are generally for a set value to be redeemed at the merchant. The result is that in some transactions, the consumer using the gift card may either be forced to use their own funds to pay for what the card does not cover, or they may use the card and then retain it with a small amount left unspent. Cards with little value left can accumulate and in some instances may be lead to being discarded by the consumer. The result is that the receiver may pay to use their gift card, or the giver may pay for value that is never used. Also, there is a difference in perception between “let me treat you to a dinner out” as opposed to “here is a gift card for $XX at this restaurant.”
Thus, there is a perceived opportunity for a technical improvement to methods and systems for the giving and redemption of gifts in order to facilitate the receipt of goods or services by a third party by allowing for a gift to cover a specific transaction amount that is unknown at the time of the gift.